Literally everyone does this. They buy the game, stare at the interface, and basically say WTF. I didn't touch it for months after I bought it. Keep in mind only the interface is complicated since you already know the ins and outs of the game.

Then I revisited it, and rebuilt the Nats. It took years to win a series even against the CPU. I had playoff heartbreak!

I think it's the best game I've ever played, and I'm in my 30s and generally not impressed by video games anymore. It's worth pushing through.

Starting with 2015 Nats, it took me until 2021 to win once, and I had the oldest, most expensive roster imaginable at that point. I gutted the team for prospects, picked first overall two years in a row, then won it all again in 2024. By then, my team was so stacked that I could trade each and every one of my walk year guys before the season or at the deadline, promote prospects, sign almost nobody, and have a .700+ winning percentage every year, collecting 6 more titles by 2033, including 3 in a row. I might actually be addicted.

Just start screwing around with it and you'll figure it out. I took over a team in Kevrock's OOTP league and got the handle of it pretty quick. If we want to do a WNFF league I'm down but only if we do it as a fictional one.

Starting with 2015 Nats, it took me until 2021 to win once, and I had the oldest, most expensive roster imaginable at that point. I gutted the team for prospects, picked first overall two years in a row, then won it all again in 2024. By then, my team was so stacked that I could trade each and every one of my walk year guys before the season or at the deadline, promote prospects, sign almost nobody, and have a .700+ winning percentage every year, collecting 6 more titles by 2033, including 3 in a row. I might actually be addicted.

I found myself getting caught off guard by rules changes (changes in roster sizes and the addition of an NL DH). I also hated drafting, by midway through the first, the only multi star players tended to be relievers- of course this is ootp 12, so it's probably changed. Have they foreclosed throwing millions at assistant coaches throughout the whole system approach?

You can disable league evolution and the rules won't be changed. The draft has changed dramatically, as has the development engine.

I don't understand the last question.

I used to just get the best managers coaches available- at one point I think I was paying Joe Madden to manage potomac- anything possible to get players to develop. It seemed like a better use of money than spending on a bench or middle relief